Saddle for trucks.



J. LYONS.

SADDLE FOR TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 16. 1909.

Patented Mar.29, 1910.

UNITED STATES IATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LYONS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN E. WHITNEY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SADDLE FOR TRUCKS.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, JOHN Lyons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles for Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trucks for moving barrels, boxes and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide a truck with an adjustable or folding saddle to hold barrels from rolling ofl of the truck, and adapted to be folded down out of the way when the truck is to be used for handling boxes.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawin in whicli- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention with the saddle in position for holding a barrel. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail in longitudinal section similar to Fig. 2 except that the drawing is on a larger scale, and in this view the saddle is shown as folded down out of the way, or in the posi tion of use for handlin boxes.

- Like numerals of re erence indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

4, 4 represent the two longitudinal members of the truck-frame which are extended and shaped at their u per ends to form the handles 5. 6, 7, 8 an 9, are the transverse frame members of usual construction which unite the lon itudinal frame members 4. The upper surface of the frame thus formed is covered with iron plates 10 having the integral outwardly extended bottom flange 11, of usual construction, forming a support for the lower end of the box, barrel or other package, carried upon the truck.

Depending from the under side of the frame members 4 near their lower ends are the hangers 12 which afford bearing attachment for the axle 13 upon which the two truck-wheels 14 are mounted. Legs 15 are secured to the frame members 4 and are braced in the usual manner by diagonal braces 16.

The truck as above described is adapted for handling flat bottomed articles like boxes, but for handling barrels and similar round articles, a means to keep the article from rolling off of the truck is required, and for this purpose I provide a saddle 20 which consists essentially of a wooden block resting upon the transverse member 7 and extending for a height of four or five inches above said member 7. This block 20 has a concave or curved notch or depression 22 in its outer edge to form a seat in which the barrel or cylindrical body will rest and be held against lateral displacement. This saddle 20 by projecting above the face of the truck forms an obstruction which interferes with the use of the truck for handling boxes and other flat-bottomed packages and it is therefore essential that it be so con structed that it may be quickly and easily withdrawn when such fiat-bottomed packages are to be handled. This withdrawal I accomplish by hinging the saddle to the truck-frame in a manner to permit it to be folded back out of the way, below the outer face of the truck. This is accomplished by means of a transverse shaft 23 which is mounted in suitable bearings 24 on the under edge of the frame members 4, and metal stra s 25 hinged to the shaft 23 at one end and aving their opposite ends bolted to the saddle 20 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This permits the saddle to be swung on the shaft 23 into operative position, resting upon the transverse member 7 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and it also permits it to be folded back between the frame members 4 below the upper edge of said members as shown in Fig. 3. Flanges 26 project inwardly from the frame members 4 to form stops for the saddle when folded back out of use.

In order to lock the saddle in both outer and inner positions I flatten the pivotal end of the strap 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and provide a strap spring 27, one end of which is bolted to the under side of frame members 4 and the other free ends of which bear against the flattened portion of the strap 25. The tension of the spring is sufiicient to retain the saddle in either of its two positions.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein set forth, since various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-' 1. The combination with a truck-frame having inwardly projecting saddle supports, wheels on which said frame is mounted, a shaft carried by said frame adjacent its mid-length, a saddle hinged to said shaft adapted in one position to lie below the load bearing surface of the truck where it will be supported upon said projecting saddle supports and to swing out from that position into a position projecting beyond the load bearing surface of the truck.

2. The combination with a truck-frame, an outwardly extended flange at the lower end of the frame, wheels on which the frame is mounted, a transverse shaft near the lower side and at or near the mid-length of the frame, a saddle hinged to said shaft adapted to lie below the load bearing surface of the frame in one position and to be swung into a position projecting beyond said load bearing surface and resilient means for locking the saddle in each of said positions.

3. The combination with a truck-frame comprising a pair of longitudinal members and a series of transverse members, wheels on which the frame is mounted, a transverse shaft, a saddle hinged to said shaft and adapted to lie in one position below the load bearing surface of the truck and to swing into a position projecting beyond the load bearing surface of the truck and resting upon one of the transverse frame members, the hinge attachment of said saddle with the shaft having straight sides and a spring bar bearing against said straight sides to lock the saddle in its inner or outer position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 10th day of June, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and nine.

JOHN LYONS. Vitnesses J. E. WVHITNEY, J 0s. A. MINTURN.. 

